Packaging unit



Aug. 27, 1968 E. w. GRIESE, JR

PACKAGING UNIT Filed March 4, 1966 INVENTOR. Elmer W. Griese, Jr.

United States Patent 3,398,855 PACKAGING UNIT Elmer W. Griese, Jr.,Wheeling, Ill., assignor to Ekco Products, Inc., Wheeling, 11]., acorporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 531,934 4 Claims.(Cl. 220-93) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A packaging unit wherein theproduct holding area is in the form of an inner tray of high impactpolystyrene resin composition or the like which is lifted from an outercontainer while the product is supported on said tray via an integralcentral hollow stem rising from the bottom of said tray.

This invention relates to a packaging unit in which a tray and an outercontainer having walls within which the tray is adapted to be confinedin interlifting relation are combined to define the product holding areaof the packaging unit pending withdrawal of the product therefrom andhas special reference to a tray which provides an underlying support forthe product while outside the confines of the container.

More particularly, this invention is concerned with a tray in the formof a relatively thin-walled body of semirigid material having anintegral hollow stern rising centrally from the product supporting wallthereof to provide a handle adapted to be grasped and lifted readilywith one hand to facilitate withdrawal of the tray from or depositwithin the confines of the outer container.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved packagingunit for the marketing and serving of frozen foods, such as refrigeratedarticles of pastry made of pre-crumbled particles of cake, cookies orgraham crackers by means of a tray construction which renders theproduct fully accessible for cutting into segments of desired individualserving size and shape without breakage or damage to the intended shapeof the segment.

A further object resides in the provision of a packaging unit having aninner tray incorporating features of construction which add to thestability of the unit and its resistance to crushing during handling ofsuch packaging units when in stacked condition.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant invention have been pointed out, others will becomeapparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded top perspective view of a container and innerreceptacle as elements of a packaging unit incorporating the features ofthis invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the inner recptacle ortray as it appears when empty and outside the confines of the container.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along a diameter of thepackaging unit illustrating its use with an article of frozen pastry.

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating amodified form of the inner tray.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating afurther modified form of the inner tray.

Referring now to the drawing, a packaging unit incorporating thefeatures of this invention is shown as including an aluminum foilcontainer 10 having a circular bottom wall 11 and an outwardly inclinedside wall 12 extending upwardly from the perimeter of said bottom wall.The container may be closed by a cardboard cover 3,398,855 Patented Aug.27, 1968 'ice or closure member C. Such a cover is adapted to have itsmarginal portion in downward seating engagement with an upwardly facingledge 13 defining the upper rim of the side wall 12 and may be securedagainst unintentional removal from said ledge via a lip 14 along theouter periphery of the ledge 13 and bent inwardly against the upwardlyfacing marginal portion of the cover as shown in FIG. 3.

In thus utilizing the container 10 in connection with a packaging unitaccording to the present invention, an inner receptacle or tray T havinga base 15 provides a holder in underlying relation to the product to becontained in said unit. The base 15 is of such configuration as to haverelatively close interfitting engagement with the side walls of thecontainer along the bottom wall of the container. As an example of aspecific use of the present invention, the container 10 and tray T aredescribed herein in relation to the packaging of an article of pastry Pas shown in FIG. 3. However, the invention in its broader aspects is notlimited to the packaging of such a product and on the contrary may beused in connection with the packaging of a wide variety of other goods.Such article of pastry P while thus supported on the base 15 occupies aposition in surrounding relation to an integral hollow stem 16 oftruncated conical form which extends upwardly from and centrally of thebase 15. The base is preferably formed of relatively stiff material suchas high impact polystyrene resin having a thickness of 5 to 20 mils.Upwardly open grooves formed in the base 15 along lines extendingradially from the stem 16 define ridges 17 which have downwardengagement with the surface of the bottom wall to support the base inoperative relation to said bottom wall of the container 10. The ridges17 are joined to a similar ridge 18 defined by a continuous grooveextending circumferentially of the base in concentric relation to thestem 16 and relatively close to the outer periphery of the base 15.

An annular flange 20 extending inwardly from the upper limits of thestem terminates in a downwardly extending annular skirt 21. The areathus bounded by the skirt 21 is open except for a web 22 which bridgesdiametrically opposite portions of the flange 20. Wings 23 extendingdownwardly from the web 22 are joined to and form continuation of theskirt 21. Thus the stem 16 in conjunction with the skirt 21 and Wings 23define a multi-wall structure at the upper end thereof. The open areabetween each wing 23 and the surface of skirt 21 opposite theretoprovide pockets commensurate with the clearance needed to admit apersons fingers in gripping relation to the wings 23 and the web 22.Accordingly the stem 16 in conjunction with the wings 23 and web 22provide means for handling the base 15 incident to moving the sametoward and away from a confined position within the container 10.

The base 15 accordingly functions as a tray which is especially usefulin handling the article of pastry incident to its removal from thecontainer as well as facilitating the severance of the article intosegments of individual serving size while freed of any obstruction bythe side walls of the container with which it is associated pending suchremoval. As shown in FIG. 3, the stem 16 is of such height as to providean upwardly facing seat substantially in alignment with a planecontaining the ledge 13 of the container 10 so as to furnish a centralunderlying support for the cover C. Accordingly, the stem 16 effectivelyreinforces the packaging unit against collapse under weight applied on apackaging unit in underlying relation to a stack of such units.

FIG. 6 shows a slightly modified form of the invention wherein the trayis provided with a stem 26 having a downwardly ext-ending annular skirt27, a web 28 and wings 29 corresponding to the skirt 21, web 22 andwings 23 of the tray shown in FIG. 3 except that the skirt and wings areof gradually reduced thickness in a direction away from the web 28 andthe lower limits of the skirt 27 and wings 29 are joined by a diaphragm30 of a thickness substantially equivalent to the thinnest portion ofthe skirt 27 and wings 29. This treatment of the skirt and wings bestowsa flexibility that allows a firmer gripping of the wings 29 and the web28 when a persons fingers are applied thereto for the purpose ofhandling the tray between installed and withdrawn positions relative tothe container 10.

FIG. 7 shows a further modified form of a packaging unit embodying thepresent invention wherein the tray is provided with a base 24, and aside wall 25 rising upwardly from the perimeter of said base whereby thegoods contained in the unit are confined against unintentional lateraldisplacement from the tray when the tray is withdrawn from container 10.

What is claimed is:

1. A packaging unit including an outer container having a bottom walland a side extending upwardly from the perimeter of said bottom wall,means cooperating with said container to define the product containingarea of said unit including an inner tray having a base of suchperipheral contour as to be receivable within the confines of said outercontainer so as to occupy a seated position against said bottom wall ofsaid container, an integral hollow stem rising upwardly from andcentrally of said base, said base being formed to provide upwardly opengrooves arranged symmetrically about said stem and defining reinforcingribs operative to provide bearing areas in downwardly offset relation tolower surfaces of said base between said ribs, said stem having itsupper end open except for a web bridging opposite upright wall portionsof said stem with which the fingers of a person may have grippingengagement for eifecting withdrawal of said tray from or disposal ofsaid tray within the confines of said container whereby the product isremovable from said container while supported on said inner tray. 4

2. A packaging unit according to claim 1 wherein said tray is of highimpact polystyrene resin composition having a thickness of to mils.

3. A packaging unit including an outer container having a bottom walland a side extending upwardly from the perimeter of said bottom wall,means cooperating with said container to define the product containingarea of said unit including an inner tray having a base of suchperipheral contour as to be receivable Within the confines of said outercontainer so as to occupy a seated position against said bottom wall ofsaid container, an integral hollow stem rising upwardly from andcentrally of said base, said stern having its upper end open except fora web bridging opposite upright wall portions of said stem with whichthe fingers of a person may have gripping engagement for effectingwithdrawal of said tray from or disposal of said tray within theconfines of said container whereby the product is removable from saidcontainer while supported on said inner tray, and said stem having itsupper limits defined by an annular inwardly extending flange whichterminates in a downwardly extending annular skirt, and wings extendingdownwardly from the web are joined to and form a continuation of saidskirt.

4. A packaging unit including an outer container having a bottom walland a side extending upwardly from the perimeter of said bottom wall,means cooperating with said container to define the product containingarea of said 'unit including an inner tray having a base of suchperipheral contour as to be receivable within the confines of said outercontainer so as to occupy a seated position against said bottom wall ofsaid container, an integral hollow stem rising upwardly from andcentrally of said base, said stem having its upper end open except for aweb bridging opposite upright wall portions of said stem with which thefingers of a person may have gripping engagement for effectingwithdrawal of said tray from or disposal of said t-ray within theconfines of said container whereby the product is removable from saidcontainer while supported on said inner tray and said stem having itsupper limits defined by an annular inwardly extending flange whichterminates in a downwardly extending annular skirt, and wings extendingdownwardly from the web are joined to and form a continuation of saidskirt, said skirt and said wings being of gradually reduced thickness ina direction downwardly of said web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,566 6/1931 Scott 249-1122,756,793 7/1956 Tupper -5 2,897,996 8/1959 Billig et al. 220173,179,036 4/1965 Luker 220-72 RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner.

